Police begin search for missing INEC officials

 

Police in Kogi have launched a search for six INEC officials attacked on Sunday at Obajana while conveying election results.

Police rescued 96 victims comprising INEC officials, ad-hoc staff, bus drivers and others from the scene and took them to INEC headquarters in Lokoja

Three injured victims were evacuated to the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, for treatment.

Police spokesman in Kogi, SP Williams Ovye-Aya stated in Lokoja that the Commissioner of Police, Mr Yekini Ayoku, already ordered the deployment of operational and tactical assets to comb the area of the attack.

“The police commissioner tasked his men to conduct thorough investigation that could lead to apprehending the miscreants and bringing them to deserved justice,’’ Ovye-Aya stated.

He commended the gallantry displayed by police operatives who engaged the attackers in a gun duel and urged residents of the adjoining communities to report anybody seen with bullet wounds to the nearest security agency.

“One good thing is that the police escort attached to the INEC team responded robustly and engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun duel.

“A reinforcement of operatives deployed to the scene also engaged the attackers who had to flee with varying degrees of injuries,’’ Ovye-Aya stated.

INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner and the NYSC coordinator in Kogi declined to respond to enquiries on the incident.